IN YOUR OPINION

Letters to the Editor for Dec. 17, 2012

Published: Monday, December 17, 2012 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, December 16, 2012 at 1:49 a.m.

I would like to say thank you to Father Patrick O'Doherty for standing up for morality. God wrote the laws and men must follow them. We cannot pick and choose as to which of God's laws we follow.

That brings me to Leviticus 11:8, which reads, “You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses.” This verse refers to pigs, yet every week millions of Americans sit around and watch a game played with a pigskin, in clear violation of God's law. As Christians we must unite to stop the abomination known as football.

It doesn't end there. I have done some reconnaissance and there are many restaurants in our community serving shellfish in clear violation of God's law. Leviticus 11:10 reads, “But whatever is in the seas and in the rivers that does not have fins and scales among all the teeming life of the water, and among all the living creatures that are in the water, they are detestable things to you.” As Christians we must unite to stop the abomination known as all-you-can-eat shrimp.

Leviticus 19:28 reads, “You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves,” yet there are tattoo parlors all over this city. Not only that, there are people with tattoos. I've seen them at Walmart. We must unite to bring these heathens into the grace of God, or, absent that, follow another part of the Bible and sell them into slavery.

We cannot stop by simply condemning gays and lesbians. We must follow all of God's words to the letter, otherwise we are just hypocrites. And Lord knows Jesus condemned hypocrites.

Ward Hegock

Silver Springs Shores

What's the world coming to?

I find it difficult to get into the Christmas spirit these days. I'm not the only one. We all have some personal matters to deal with, especially in this troubling economy and the government throwing common sense out the window, running on stupidity and/or greed. What makes it worse is witnessing the continued decline of morality and increased attacks and elimination of the Judeo-Christian values this country was founded on. It breaks my heart.

In an attempt to leave the world of insanity briefly behind, I recently watched a show on ABC, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” I was stunned they deleted where it's explained why Santa chooses which night to deliver presents — the holiest night of the year. Even a child's classic story is not immune from being tampered with.

Fortunately, I am grounded by my faith and knowing my immediate family are all Christians. The world is getting worse every day. The evidence is all over the TV, in the paper, or can be observed in the behavior of people around you as go about your errands. No, I don't believe the world ends on Dec. 21, 2012. The Bible says no man knows the day, but it says we will know the season.

Lining up what's going on in the world today with Bible prophecies, we ARE in the season. In that regard, my spirit is lifted. The return of Jesus Christ is nearing. Those who belong to Him have a better world to look forward to. Peace, love, joy and beauty beyond imagination; for all time. Now that's a Christmas gift!

Karen Harms

Ocala

Lincoln's spirit

There is a movie out right now about Abraham Lincoln which should be seen by everyone. We should compare Lincoln to our founding fathers: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.

George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were aristocrats. Benjamin Franklin was a printer of the merchant class.

Abraham Lincoln was the son of a frontier dirt farmer scratching a living just to survive. Many such farmers were unschooled, coarse people.

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin at least had opportunities to be schooled and become learned men.

How then was it possible that Lincoln evolved to become a lawyer, a congressman, a president of the United States and a world-class statesman? Do we Americans have the will, the spirit and patriotism that Lincoln had?

Tomas Diaz

Ocala

We're all ‘rich'

The great budget compromise is once again upon us. If history is any indicator, the results will yield increased revenue (taxes) and future spending cuts which will never be realized.

The taxes will be in excess of those imposed by the medical care act which begins in 2013. It should make us all feel good because all working people will now be considered “rich” by definition.

Wil Rose

Ocala

Just a vacation?

When police officers or public officials are put on paid administrative leave aren't they just getting a paid vacation? I often wonder about that.

W. T. Quick

Ocala

News slant

Reading that letter, “Fox hubris” (Dec. 14), I found it to be very slanted.

To begin with, where on TV did it show that the Fox reporter provoked those union zealots? Also, was he the cause of those thugs knocking down a company tent with people in it?

While I worked for and benefited from a union, today they have become too political and Democratic-leaning and less productive.

It is also worth noting that like with Benghazigate, the media is very selective. Unlike Fox News that reports everything, ABC, CBS, NBC didn't show these incidents.

<p><b>Following God's laws to the letter</b></p><p>I would like to say thank you to Father Patrick O'Doherty for standing up for morality. God wrote the laws and men must follow them. We cannot pick and choose as to which of God's laws we follow.</p><p>That brings me to Leviticus 11:8, which reads, “You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses.” This verse refers to pigs, yet every week millions of Americans sit around and watch a game played with a pigskin, in clear violation of God's law. As Christians we must unite to stop the abomination known as football.</p><p>It doesn't end there. I have done some reconnaissance and there are many restaurants in our community serving shellfish in clear violation of God's law. Leviticus 11:10 reads, “But whatever is in the seas and in the rivers that does not have fins and scales among all the teeming life of the water, and among all the living creatures that are in the water, they are detestable things to you.” As Christians we must unite to stop the abomination known as all-you-can-eat shrimp.</p><p>Leviticus 19:28 reads, “You shall not make any cuts in your body for the dead nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves,” yet there are tattoo parlors all over this city. Not only that, there are people with tattoos. I've seen them at Walmart. We must unite to bring these heathens into the grace of God, or, absent that, follow another part of the Bible and sell them into slavery.</p><p>We cannot stop by simply condemning gays and lesbians. We must follow all of God's words to the letter, otherwise we are just hypocrites. And Lord knows Jesus condemned hypocrites.</p><p><i>Ward Hegock</p><p>Silver Springs Shores</i></p><p><b>What's the world coming to?</b></p><p>I find it difficult to get into the Christmas spirit these days. I'm not the only one. We all have some personal matters to deal with, especially in this troubling economy and the government throwing common sense out the window, running on stupidity and/or greed. What makes it worse is witnessing the continued decline of morality and increased attacks and elimination of the Judeo-Christian values this country was founded on. It breaks my heart.</p><p>In an attempt to leave the world of insanity briefly behind, I recently watched a show on ABC, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” I was stunned they deleted where it's explained why Santa chooses which night to deliver presents — the holiest night of the year. Even a child's classic story is not immune from being tampered with.</p><p>Fortunately, I am grounded by my faith and knowing my immediate family are all Christians. The world is getting worse every day. The evidence is all over the TV, in the paper, or can be observed in the behavior of people around you as go about your errands. No, I don't believe the world ends on Dec. 21, 2012. The Bible says no man knows the day, but it says we will know the season.</p><p>Lining up what's going on in the world today with Bible prophecies, we ARE in the season. In that regard, my spirit is lifted. The return of Jesus Christ is nearing. Those who belong to Him have a better world to look forward to. Peace, love, joy and beauty beyond imagination; for all time. Now that's a Christmas gift!</p><p><i>Karen Harms</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Lincoln's spirit</b></p><p>There is a movie out right now about Abraham Lincoln which should be seen by everyone. We should compare Lincoln to our founding fathers: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. </p><p>George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were aristocrats. Benjamin Franklin was a printer of the merchant class.</p><p>Abraham Lincoln was the son of a frontier dirt farmer scratching a living just to survive. Many such farmers were unschooled, coarse people. </p><p>George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin at least had opportunities to be schooled and become learned men.</p><p>How then was it possible that Lincoln evolved to become a lawyer, a congressman, a president of the United States and a world-class statesman? Do we Americans have the will, the spirit and patriotism that Lincoln had?</p><p><i>Tomas Diaz</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>We're all 'rich'</b></p><p>The great budget compromise is once again upon us. If history is any indicator, the results will yield increased revenue (taxes) and future spending cuts which will never be realized.</p><p>The taxes will be in excess of those imposed by the medical care act which begins in 2013. It should make us all feel good because all working people will now be considered “rich” by definition. </p><p><i>Wil Rose</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>Just a vacation?</b></p><p>When police officers or public officials are put on paid administrative leave aren't they just getting a paid vacation? I often wonder about that.</p><p><i>W. T. Quick</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p><b>News slant</b></p><p>Reading that letter, “Fox hubris” (Dec. 14), I found it to be very slanted.</p><p>To begin with, where on TV did it show that the Fox reporter provoked those union zealots? Also, was he the cause of those thugs knocking down a company tent with people in it?</p><p>While I worked for and benefited from a union, today they have become too political and Democratic-leaning and less productive.</p><p>It is also worth noting that like with Benghazigate, the media is very selective. Unlike Fox News that reports everything, ABC, CBS, NBC didn't show these incidents.</p><p>Talk about slanting the news.</p><p><i>Bob Cronin</p><p>Ocala</i></p>